Hi everyone,

my friend has a five year old rottweiler when they cut her nails, they are splitting up to the quick and bleeding.
Could this be food related, she's fed dry food, Morrisons Adult Complete Chicken and Veg, because of her sensitive stomach.

Any help would be appreciated.

best go to the vet could be a fungus or an immune problem ..

ditto, check for infections.  Soli had nail problems recently and while they weren't splitting initially - they were beign eaten away from the inside out by the infection - when it had been there for a while her nails started to split along the length of them and were very painful.

Hers was a serious infection, much worse than a 'normal' nail infection, but I would still want them looked at.

I'd be really careful with nails on a big black dog, my breed (standard poodles) are prone to toe cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) and I think Rottweilers may be too.  Any nail problems should be taken seriously and all infections in the nail bed especially so.  As there is more than one nail involved here it is probably not SCA but you can never be complacent.  My friend runs the toe cancer register for Std Poodles and has me paranoid so I do always spread the word as it is treatable when caught in time.

Is this a new problem or a recurring one?

If it's recent then check your nail cutters!  Sounds blindingly obvious but might have been overlooked :)

Tell your friend to take her dog to the vet.  I wouldn't be blaming her food - I would be wanting a diagnosis.  Having a dog with a genetic problem in the nail bed, I know how much pain this dog is going to be suffering.

There is a condition called lupoid onychodystrophy which makes the claws brittle and prone to splitting.  A neighbour's rottie cross had it, and I remember that the outer layers of his claws separated from the quick, and were bleeding.  I agree that a trip to the vet is in order.

Thanks... Told them to take her - whether they do or not, I'll never know, as I probably won't be told.

my girl had similar nail problem. she had to have her nail removed two weeks ago, but i am keeping an eye on it as I dont think we have seen an end to the problem.